After winning conference championships in women’s tennis, softball and men’s track and field during the spring, Long Beach State slipped in front of Cal Poly by one point to secure its fourth consecutive Big West Commissioner’s Cup.

LBSU claimed the award — which is given to the most outstanding athletics program in the conference — with an average score of 124.3 points to edge out the Mustangs (123.3) and third-place UC Irvine (112) to tie the slimmest margin of victory ever.

The award is the sixth overall and fifth in the last six years for the 49ers and only three schools — UC Santa Barbara (8), LBSU (6) and Pacific (2) — have taken the title since its inception in 1998.

The Commissioner’s Cup winner is determined with weighted averages of Big West-sponsored sports. The respective conference champion earns an additional 20 points for its program. Long Beach State competes in the Big West in 14 of its 19 NCAA Division I sports.

Gathering for Gillies

Family, friends, fellow coaches and others will meet at Glory Days Sports Grill (4132 Woodruff Ave, Lakewood) at 1 p.m. Saturday to remember and celebrate the life of local legend Gene Gillies, who died this week at the age of 83.

Gillies played football at Jordan High during the mid-1940s before going on to compete in football and track at Long Beach City College and Long Beach State. He has since been inducted into the LBCC Hall of Champions and was given the “Outstanding Lineman” award at LBSU in 1955.

Once his time as a student-athlete was complete, Gillies served as the assistant football and head track coach at Lakewood High from 1957-1980, becoming known and revered for his dedication to the school and its athletes.

All are welcome to come to Glory Days to remember “Coach” at one of his favorite places.